DRC battles Bundibugyo strain as confirmed cases rise to 121, with 17 deaths and 246 suspected fatalities reported.

The chief of the United Nations health agency is travelling to Ituri in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has been hit the “hardest” as authorities battle to contain the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak.

“I want you to know that you are not alone,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), said in a lengthy and heartfelt message published on X on Thursday.

Tedros also addressed health workers in the eastern province, where the first case was recorded and 90 percent of patients are being treated, hailing them as the “backbone of this response”.

“I am coming to Bunia [the capital of Ituri province]. I will be there in person, alongside my colleagues, meeting your leaders, listening to your concerns, and doing everything in my power to help you,” Tedros said.

His comments come as authorities in DRC rush to stop the spread of the disease. Latest government figures show 121 confirmed cases so far, including 17 confirmed deaths. Data also shows 246 suspected fatalities and 1,077 suspected cases. Authorities estimate the number of casualties to be higher.

Yet on Wednesday, the country’s Health Ministry incident manager for Ebola, Richard Kitenge, announced that one patient had recovered and been discharged from hospital, highlighting the chances of survival for those receiving treatment.

Most previous Ebola outbreaks in DRC were caused by a virus called Ebola Zaire, for which there are vaccines and treatments. This outbreak is caused by a different strain called Bundibugyo, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.

On Thursday, the head of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said work is being done to develop a vaccine. “What we can tell you for sure, by the end of this year, 2026, Africa CDC will make sure that we have a vaccine and medicine against Bundibugyo,” Jean Kaseya told reporters.

Later in the day, the WHO said that experimental treatments ⁠and vaccines for Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo strain ⁠should only be used in clinical trials, as it works with affected countries to assess their safety and ‌effectiveness.

‘Let health workers through’

Separately, aid workers rushed supplies to Ituri on Thursday, the Associated Press reported.

A cargo plane with aid donated by the European Union delivered masks, gloves, boots and medications – all of which are in short supply – to the northeastern town of Bunia at the heart of the outbreak. More EU aid is expected to arrive in batches over the next eight days, Jerome Kouachi, head of emergency operations at UNICEF in Congo, told AP.

Health workers with scant supplies have been struggling to contain the outbreak. In some areas, doctors have resorted to wearing expired medical masks while treating suspected patients. Dangers faced by health workers have been heightened by public anger at stringent medical protocols for dealing with victim’s bodies, as well as armed groups in a volatile region.

The WHO’s Tedros made a direct appeal to the armed groups in eastern DRC which have vied for power for years: “Please, declare a ceasefire. Even briefly. Even just enough to let health workers through.” Medics have been struggling to implement health measures amid distrust of authorities by locals, and attacks on health centres.

“The government is calling on the locals to respect health guidance because they can only win this battle when they work together with the people,” said Al Jazeera’s Chris Ocamringa, reporting from the capital, Kinshasa. The government is mobilising all resources available to curb the spread of the virus, including the release of $20m.

The US announced on Thursday that it was allocating an additional $80m to help combat Ebola in DRC and neighbouring Uganda. With the new funding, total US aid amounts to $112m since the outbreak began, the State Department said in a press release.

Eight cases in Uganda

Regional countries are also on high alert, stepping up surveillance and preventative measures.

On Thursday, the Africa CDC said it confirmed eight Ebola cases in Uganda, including one dead. Earlier, the country ordered the closure of borders for at least four weeks.

Diana Atwine, permanent secretary at the Ugandan Health Ministry, said a growing number of cases among health workers had been confirmed, as they were most often the ones interacting with Ebola patients.

In Kenya, two US officials told the Reuters news agency that local authorities had given written approval for the US to open a quarantine facility at an air force base in Laikipia for US citizens exposed to the outbreak.

In a joint statement, the US, Canada and Mexico also announced public health travel measures for people arriving from African regions considered at greater risk from Ebola.